Sheet feed or separator.



c. G. HARRIS, DBGD. A. Y'. HARRIS. ADMINISTRATOR.

SHEET FEED OR SEPARATOR. APPLIcArwN FILED 11:15.19, 1910.

1, 1 12,609. Patented ont 6, 1914.

' 1s SHEETSAHEBT 1.

Q Q5 tb Q n M C. G. HARRIS, DECD. A. P. HARR1s,ADM1N1sTM-`10R. SHEET FEED OR SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.19,1910.

Z SH01/neg C. G. HARRIS, DECD. A. r. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED rBB.19.1910.

1, 1 12,609. E Patented 001. 6, 1914.

16 SHEETS-SE EET 3.

i] Home@ '0. G. HARRIS, DBCD. .1. r. HARRIS! ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SBPARATOR. APPLIcATIoN FILED 12112.19, 1910.

1e SHEETS-SHEET 11 Milli f/@Mg Patented 001. 6, 1914.

C. G. HARRIS, DECD. ,1.12 HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.19,1910.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

me/nico@ @mi l' 1 wmv/11 C. G. HARRIS, DEGD. A. I. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED OR SEPARATOR.

APPLIUATIQN FILED 1112.19, 1910.

L 1 1 2,609; Patented 001. 6, 1914.

16'SHEBTs-SHEET s.

C. G. HARRIS, DECD. A. I'. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 19,1910. 1, 1 1 2,609, Patented oct. 6, 1914.

1s SHEETS-SHEET 7."

ffm I I c. G. HARRIS, DBGD.

A. F. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR.

SHEET FEED 0B. SEPARATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 1'9, 1910 1,112,609. l Patented 0@t.6,1914.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

5in vanto/o C. G. HARRIS, DEGD. A. nanars, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SEPABATOR.

APPLIOAIION FILED 11:12.19. 1910.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914,

16 BHEETS-SHEET 9.

HARRIS, ADMIN TOR.

SHEET FEED EPARATOR. APPLIGATION r 121113.19, 1910.

1, 1 1 2,609. Patented oct. 6, 1914. sunm- 1o.

16 SHEETS- me/nto@ C. G. HARRIS, DECD.` A. 1'. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED 0R SEPARATOR.

APrLIoATIoN HLBD 21:13.19, 1910.

1,1 12,609. Patented 001;. 6, 1914 16 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

Patented 001:; 6, '1914. 16 SHEBTS-SHEET 12.

C. G. HARRIS, DECD. A. r. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. n SHEET FEED OB, SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.19,1910. 1 l 1 2,6097.

m. Nb w m H mk `NN SUN C. G. HARRIS, DBCD. A. 1".-HARRIs, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED OR SEPARATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED 1RR.19,1910` Patented' oet. 6, 1914.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

C. G. HARRIS, DEG'D. A. P. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED OR SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1113.19, 1910.

Patented Get. 6, 1914.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

C. G. HARRIS, DECD. `A. I. HARRIS, ADMINISTRATOR. SHEET FEED OESEPAEATOE. APPLIGATION FILED TBB. 19, 1910. v

Patented O ct. 6, 1914.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 15.

'CIMM/nua U. G. HARRIS, DEOD. A. r. HARRIS; ADMINISTRATOR.

`SHEET FEED 0R S-EPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED IEB. I9, 1910.

Patented oet. 6,1914.

1e SHEETS-SHEET' 16.

'llhe means for separating the sheets of stock, and lifting only the topmost sheet from the pile, comprises two rotary bucklers 3; two

,presser feet 4 which are designed to bear3 -are thrown upwardly and rearwardly, andthe suction separators are raised to remove the vsheet from the pile, the rise ofthe separators being rst slow and then accelerated. 'lhereupon the presser-feet are caused to again engage the pile by entering beneath the top sheet, and as this occurs blasts of air are ejected from the forwardly projecting ends of such feet beneath the raised sheet throughout its length.l Simultaneously with this ejection of air at the rear end of the pile, air is also ejected from blowers at the 'sides of the pile, near the forward end thereof, to further aid in separating the sheets. Vl"wo suction carriers 6 are lowered into engagement with the pile at points within the range of the side blasts and are then elevated and moved horizontally forward to present the forward edge of the sheet to withdrawal rolls 7 (see Fig. 8) -by which the several sheets are successively fed to the press, or other machine, and by the time the suction carriers `are returned to their rearmost positions and again lowered totake up the n'ext succeeding sheet the rear edge of the first sheet will have passed be- 'traitors f gear 12.` lln consequence,

yond the vertical plane of the suction carriers. L

Enabling and separating meansl will first describe the mechanism for actuating the bucklers, the presser feet and the vsepa- According to l the arrangement shown in the drawings, themain operating shaft 9 is located atthe right of the ma.- chine, and is driven by a chain 10 to which power may be transmitted from any suitable source. Shaft 9 at its rear end, through bev eled gear wheels 11 and'12, drives a second shaft 13 which extends across the machine at the rear, said shaft 13 having its bearings in frames 14, V1.5, which are movable longitudinally of the machine. 'llhe gear 12 is fast to 'shaft 13, but the gear 11 is slidably keyed onl shaft 9 and its hub is rotatably mounted in a lateral extension of frame 14. Hence4 as frames 14, 15, are moved longitudinally of the machine the gear 11 will slide on shaft 9 whilel maintaining'` its engaement with in ajusting the position of shaft 13 .the connection wlth the arianne power shaftremains unaltered. rllhe shaft 13 j actuates the buckling and separating mechanism. lnasmuch as these parts are duplicated at opposite sides of the machine, the description of one series will apply to both.

Un shaft 13, near each end, is a hollow spindle 16 the ends ofwhich project through two corresponding endpieces 17 which are united by tievrods 18, said end pieces 17, tie rods 18 and spindle 16 constituting a frame which may be adjusted transversely of the machine, and held locked at any desired A, point by a spring-pressed pawl 19 engaging rack teeth 2O of a tubular cross-rod 21 mounted at its ends in frames 14', 15. ln shaft 13 is a longitudinally extending spline 22 (see Figs. 4, 5) into which projects a key 23 secured in clutch'head 24 by a screw 25. rllhis clutch head 24 carries a dog 26 (see Figs. 21 and 22) which is designed to be forced into engagement with a clrcular ratchet 27 on the face of a beveled gear-wheel 28 to effect the rotation of the latter. rlhis gear-wheel 28 is loose on spindle 16, and theadog is forced to engage the ratchet when its roller 29 encounters a fixed cam 30` suspended from the upper rear tieerod 18. When the roller is free of the cam the .dog is disengaged from ratchet 27 bya spring 31. lin this, way the beveled gear-wheel 28 lis intermittently ro tated, and through beveled\pinion 32 (see Fig. 11) on the upper end of buckler-shaft 33 the buckler 3 is interm'tttently rotated, such rotation being coincide t with or subsequent to its engagement with the pile of stock.

Each buckler is designed to produce a series of traveling arcs or buckles in the topmost sheet or sheets of a pile of stock, and the stock being held against movement in proximity to the buckling means by the resser-feet 4, the series of traveling arcs or uckles is accumulated in a larger arc or buckle. To enable vthe bucklers to comb the stock to produce the plurality of successive buckling impulses to a sheet or sheets and .thereby form the traveling arcs or buckles,

`feet 4, to produce a series of traveling arcs in the topemost sheet or sheets, such series of traveling arcs or buckles being accumulated in a larger arc or buckle with air spaces between the sheets. lt is immaterial how many sheets are buckled in each operaforward end of a lever 36 which is hung at formed suction openings. Figs. 4 and 5 the separators are movable on itsrear end on the upper rear tie-rod 18. (See Fig. 1l.) The clutch-head 24 carries a ycam 37 for engaging a roller 38 oflever 36 to effect the raising thereof, the lowering of the buckler into engagement with the pile being eifected by a spring 39 connected to lever 36. On its exterior the s indle 16 has a spline 40 (seeFigs. `4 and 5l) extending practically the full length thereof. Adjacent to clutch-head 24 is a cam 41, and next to this is another Cam 42, both of which nre held to spindle 16 by spline 40 so that they may be readily adjusted longitudinally of the latter. Cam 41 cooperates withi a. rnller 43 mounted on the side of a lever 44 (me Figs. 4 and 10) by which a suction sepunter 5 may be raised, such separator being normally held downward by a spring 45 acting on the fulcrumed end of lever 44, mid spring encircling a sleeve 46 secured to lever 44 by a screw 47, said sleeve projecting through the opening in the lever. rThis sleeve 46 is held on the upper rear tie rod 18 by a spline and keywhich permit lever 44 to be adjusted along the tie rod by merely sliding its pivoted end on the latter. The cams 41 are so formed as to impart to the separators first a slow movement, asit begins to rise, and then a gradually accelef rated motion. This is for the purpose of aiding in avoiding more than one sheet .at la time being taken up by the separators.`

When a machine isoperating at a. high; speed, say about 6,000 sheets per hour, there is danger, if the separators are too quickly operated, that is, before the buckled portion of the stock is crowded laterally, of taking up more than one sheet, but avoid this diiiiculty by imparting to the separators iirst a slow movement and then a gradually accelerated motion at a sufficiently increased speed to off-set the delay occasioned by the initial slow movement. I Each suction separator 5 is in the form of a hollowcasing on the lower end of a tube,

i and from-one end of this casing projects a stall-piece 48, and at its other end the casing has anupwardly curved face wherein are As shown in planes transversely to the bulged or raised portion of the stock formed by buckling. i ,852

lThe center of the engagement of a separator yto be adjusted longitudinally thereof.

with thebuckled stock isiusually to one side of ther-:apex Iof the-raised portion, and pref. erably nearerI the presser foot than the ro- Ytary--buckler.' In consequence, as the separaterdesoendstheibulgcd or raised portion isorowdedalaterally, and the stock-being =held both by.- the buckler and the presser foot-the spaces between the tbpmost sheets will, im. the 4moreL condensed mass, become concentrated at-thecenter thereof, and the tepusheetwill-necessarily beforeed to con- -form toY thev curved. face of the separator. The result isthat as soon as suction is created the top-sheet alone will adhere to the separator, and be'caused to risc therewith;

.The action will be. the same even though there be butone sheet buckled in each operation, as-occurs in handling ext-ra heavy stock, such as cardboard.

The cam 42 engages a roller 49 (see Figs.

v4 and 9) o-f a lever 50 by'which a presser foot 4 is carried, and this lever islikewise normally held depressed by a springr 51 acting on the fulcrum end thereof, said spring encircling a sleeve 52 which is a duplicate ofthe sleeve 46, and, like the latter, is

splined to tie-'rod 18 so as to permit the lever By the described construction the positions o-f the separator and presser foot relatively te each other or to the buckler may be readily adjusted by sliding cams 41 and 42'and\ levers 44 and 50 longitudinally of their supports. .The presser foot 4 carries a link or a longitudinally slotted arm 53 through which the upper forward tie-rod 18 is passed so that when lever 50 is actuated the presser foot will have a swinging motion, being thrown rearwardly ofthe plane of the pile as it is elevated and then forwardly as it'is lowered so that its forwardly projecting end may enter beneath the top or separated sheet. Each presser foot is of approximately L-shapeinits lower portion and is made hollow with an outlet slot in its forward reduced end through which blasts of air are ejected beneath a raised sheet. This ejection of air occurs as the presser feet are lowered into engagement with the pile. l

From what has been stated it will be observed that by simply disengaging pawls 19 from-cross rod 21 the bucklers, the suction separators and the presser feet, may be shifted transversely of the machine to accommodate piles of different sizes or to adjust their positions relatively toI the corner of a pile, and also that a relative adjustment may be readily effected between the presser feet and the separators, and also between the latter and the bucklers. 1n handling different grades of stock, the attainment of best results requires a relative adjustment between a crank handle 64 at one end. After the i fait:

with light stock. This adjustment may be eifected without losing the advantage of having the bucklers engage the sheets in close proximity toy the corners where separation is more readily accomplished. The' separators may also be adjusted to insure the lateral crowding of the bulged portions and the consequent increased space beneath the top sheet, making positive the taking up of only a single sheetat each operation.

To enable the buckling and separating mechanism to be adjusted longitudinally of the machine to accommodate stock of different sizes the frames 14 and 15 are capable of being moved back and forth, and for this purpose any suitable means may be employed. l have shown toothed sleeves 60 (Figs. 4 and 5) engaging racks formed on fixed rods 61 paralleling the sides of the machine and secured to the fixed frame thereof, the rear bear-infT for these rods being indicated'at 62, Figs. 1 and 2. The toothed sleeves 60 are keyed on a rod 63 extending through rack rod 21 which lattter is formed with openings to permit the teeth of sleeves 60 to engage rack rods 61. This rod 63 has frames 14 and 15 have been adjusted by kturning rod 68 they are preferably locked by handled bolts 65 projecting through split portions thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Sheet #edera-The suction carriers 6 have their tubular portions adjustably secured by nuts (see Fig. .13) to the outer ends of horizontally disposed slides 71 which are movable in guideways 72 of a bracket 73 which fits loosely on a tubular shaft 74 extended transversely of the machine and mounted at its ends in side frames 75 and 76, which latter may be adjusted longitudinally of the main frame by turning a rod 77 passed through shaft 74 and carrying gear wheels 78 which mesh with the racks of rods 61. 'l`he frames may be held at any desired point by binding their split ends 79. rllhe brackets 78 have upward extensions formed with opposite parallel members 80 which project on opposite sides of a tie-rod 81 carried by frames 75 and 76. Spring-pressed followers 82 by bearing againstthe undersides of tie-rods 81 tend to constantly depress brackets 73. rlhe lowering of the brackets is permissible onl when the laterally miiunted rollers 83 t ereof are disen-y gaged by cams 84 adjustably splined lon shaft 74. Cams 84 are connected by links 86 to the outer ends of slides 71, and by this connection thecarriers 6` are `given their horizontal motions. As they are lifted from the pile by theaction of cam 84 the pull exerted on link 86, will, by the time the lifting is completed, e'ect the forward travel of the carriers by the movement of slides 71 in their guideways. By the time the riiaeoe stock is released by the carriers the rotation of shaft 74 and cam 84 is reversed and in consequence the carriers rst move rearwardly on horizontal lines and then are lowered into engagement with the pile, such lowering occurring as cam 84 moves out of engagement with roller 83. 'llhe shaft 74 at one end carries a sleeve 87 having rack teeth with which engages a toothed sector 88 carried by an arm 89 pivotally hung from tierod 81 lwhich connects frames -75 and 76. A branch of this arm 89 has a laterally projecting roller 90 which extends into the groove 91 of a cam 92 splined on the main operating shaft 9, and located between lateral projections 92 of frame 76. The cam groove is so formed as to give a quick movement to arm 89 at the end of the stroke, so that by the quick disengagement of cam 84 from roller 88 the suction carriers may be stock. rtherefore, the raising and lowering of the carriers and the horizontal shifting thereof are effected by the reciprocation of shaft 74 through the actuation of arm 89 by cam 92. Each cam 84 is provided with a hub 93 which extends between opposite lower guideways 94 of brackets 73 and carries at its end a collar 95 so as to maintain carrier bracket. rl`he cams 84 and their hubs being splined on shaft 74, the suction carriers may be adjusted laterally of the pile to suit piles of dierent widths, and the shaft 74 in turn may be adjusted longitudinally of the line of travel of the stock by simply turning the handle of rod 77.

For the purpose of aidin in separating the sheets, and to guard agamst thesuction carriers 6 lifting more than .a single sheet in each operation, 1 provide two blowers or e'ectors 100 which are located onopposite sides of the pile near the forward end thereof and in close juxtaposition to the carriers. 'llhesc ejectors are shown in the form of (tubes over the ends of which are caps having vertically-disposed slots 101 through which the air is discharged at approximately right angles to the edges of the sheet. rlhe tubes of these ejectors are passed through coincident openings in the upper and lower horizontally disposed branches of rounded by a spring 103 which acts upon a plate 104 -adjustably secured to the tube and grooved at one end to engage the vertical wall of the keeper. By this construction, should the feed table come into contact with the blowers the latter may move upwardly without danger of being broken, but they justable horizontally, longitudinally of the line of feed,l on rods 105, which in turn are mountedyon a pipe 106 in amanner which quickly lowered into engagement with theI` a fixed relation between the cam and the a lil-shaped keeper 102, and each tube is sur-1 glio are normally held in their proper positions Y by springs 103. 'lhe keepers 102 are ad- 

